High Schoolers Win $800 at Virginia STEM Competition

Thirty-five student teams gathered in Fredericksburg last weekend to tackle complex engineering challenges alongside professional engineers, and Westmoreland High School walked away with third place and an $800 prize.

The Innovation Challenge at Dahlgren brought middle and high school students to the Fredericksburg Convention Center for two days of hands-on problem solving. Rappahannock County Elementary Middle and Fredericksburg Academy tied for first place in the middle school division.

"For us, it's the STEM Superbowl of the year," said Tyler Truslow, STEM director at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division. The invitation-only competition showcases months of preparation by students, teachers, and mentors.

But this isn't just about trophies. Students work directly with Navy engineers and hear from national STEM leaders about how innovation strengthens our defense capabilities under real-world pressure.

The competition evaluates technical excellence, critical thinking, and resilience. Teams must demonstrate the same skills professional engineers use daily, making this more than a classroom exercise.

Why This Inspires

The Naval Surface Warfare Center hosts this event as its flagship STEM outreach program, viewing it as workforce development in action. Today's competitors could become tomorrow's innovators solving national security challenges.

"If we want to be ready to support the fleet tomorrow, we have to invest in students today," Truslow explained. The center also supports schools through robotics competitions and technology donations throughout the year.

These students proved they can handle professional-level engineering challenges while still in high school. That's the kind of preparation that builds confident, capable problem solvers ready to tackle whatever comes next.